


Only Way to Help Them is to Let Them Go

by 1PB2PB3PB4



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: 5 Times, Brothers, Gen, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Pre-Canon, being a mess, the difficulty of trying to help someone who doesn't want to be helped
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-02
Updated: 2019-09-27
Packaged: 2020-10-05 17:47:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20492783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/1PB2PB3PB4/pseuds/1PB2PB3PB4
Summary: 5 times Diego was there to help Klaus, and why he stopped.Diego being longsuffering and trying to help Klaus' issues while having his own.





	1. Time One and Time Two

**Author's Note:**

> Don't own Umbrella academy, but just watched it and I love it. Especially Diego and Klaus's relationship. I hope you like it and please tell me about any grammar mistakes, I hope to have the next interactions up shortly.

The first time Diego has to deal with a high off his ass Klaus is just after Ben died. He’s seen Klaus stoned before, and he knows that he drinks, but he’s never been this bad (or maybe he just hides it). They had just gotten home- back, it’s not home- from the  _ mission _ and they hadn’t even been able to take Ben’s body back because the tentacles had  _ torn his little brother apart _ . They’re all grieving in their own way: Allison is crying, Luther is being stoic and pulling all that leader crap, trying to act like fucking Reginald, Klaus is screwed up in a ball with his eyes shut and hands over his ears full out bawling. Diego himself feels like crying but doesn’t want to look weak in front of dad and instead is focusing intensely on his knives as he wipes and polishes them clean. 

  
  
  


Reginald makes them go through an hour long fucking debrief when they get home. Diego hadn’t thought it was possible since Five disappeared, but he manages to hate Reginald even more than ever before in this instance.

Vanya, acting as Reginald’s assistant as usual had to write out what was said. She hadn’t been there during the mission. She freezes briefly as Luther gives his detached report. Diego can’t stand to look at any of his siblings.

  
  
  
  


He can’t sleep that night, but he’s not going to tell anyone that. Diego hopes that maybe going to the bathroom for some water will help clear his head (it won’t, he saw his brother’s blood splattered everywhere, and he’s glad Vanya and Klaus weren’t there to see it) and maybe allow him to sleep. The door’s shut when he gets there but living in a house with  <strike> six  </strike> five other sib- it’s four, it’s four now- siblings means you gotta check if the bathroom is actually locked, not just shut. He’s not expecting the sight that awaits him as he enters.

Klaus is lying half over the bathtub mumbling and sobbing to himself. There’s a needle and a belt next to him. It doesn’t take a genius or a child vigilante (he’s gonna be a cop one day) to put the pieces together. That doesn’t mean Diego knows  _ what to do.  _ Diego catches the word “Ben” a few times, which is to be expected- and a thought strikes him. Can Klaus see Ben right now? Can he talk to him? Can  _ Diego _ talk to him? Before he can pursue this further however, Klaus pukes. It’s ugly, and it stinks, but it is something Diego knows how to deal with. Turn Klaus on his side and clean him up. He carries Klaus back to his room and decides to sit with him til morning. It’s not like Diego was getting any sleep anyway.

Diego wakes Klaus shortly before breakfast, because there is no compassionate leave or breaks for grief in the Umbrella Academy, he watches Klaus gather himself slightly before launching in.

“C-c-can.” a pause, “Is Ben there?” he asked.

Klaus let out a slight giggle, “no! No Benny here, just good ol’ little me, and you, Mr stabby stab, the beauty of drugs is working its magic once more!”

Diego stared, unsure of what to say.

“Do you know how he died Diego?” there’s a slight manic glint to Klaus’ eyes as he asks, wordlessly (he doubts he could find them) Diego nods, but tries to make it clear he’s not going to say anything about it. He thinks it’s better if Klaus doesn’t know anymore of the grisly details than he’s already heard.

“He’s in bits!” Klaus sobs here. “The ghosts that are in bits are the worst, if you got blown up how do you even transport all your body parts round to bother me? It makes no sense, it’s messy and disgusting and Ben.” Klaus breaks off again here, choking on tears. Diego tries to give him an awkward shoulder pat which is ruined when Klaus drags him in for a full on hug.

“I don’t want to see Ben like that. I want to see his ghost like he’s alive. I want him to be alive.”

“It’s not fair,” Diego interrupts, “It’s not fucking fair at all.” Then the breakfast bell goes off.

Diego doesn’t have the heart to confront Klaus about the drugs today, or tomorrow. Klaus fucks off a month later. Diego joins the academy a short while after that. He never asks Klaus to summon Ben though, he doesn’t like the idea of Ben being in bits any more than Klaus.

  
  
  
  
  


Diego doesn’t keep up with his siblings. Two are dead (he’s resigned to it, surely Five would have come back otherwise), one’s on the other side of the country, one (One, hah) is still playing good little soldier, Vanya’s at some music college too far to see her regularly, and Klaus is pretty much impossible to contact. Anyway, Diego’s too busy with the police academy, which he likes, but well, as much as he is loathe to admit he liked  _ anything _ about the Umbrella academy, the amount of paperwork required to be a police officer is ridiculous, and he can’t use his knives. He’ll occasionally ring Vanya, but he’s far more preoccupied with his new friend(s) who thankfully haven’t quite put two and two together about the academy yet (the umbrella one).

He’s enrolled under a different surname (Morales, like spiderman) and as Diego, which is kind of identity fraud come to think of it, but there is no way in hell he would be calling himself “Number Two Hargreeves” so yeah.

He’s moving up in the academy, his scores in physical are pretty good, and he  _ knows _ the theory, even he if doesn’t really like it. Eudora/Patch is amazing. He’s trying to get everyone to call him Diego as opposed to the whole surname thing, it’s hard to explain why.

His life is separating slowly from his past and he loves it. He does not expect to bump into a fidgety Klaus waiting outside the police academy dorms. He had told Klaus about a month before he left the Hargreeves mansion that he was thinking of joining the police force, which had been the last time Klaus had rung the house before Diego left, but he hadn’t expected Klaus to remember or care.

“Dieeeeeeegooooooo!” Klaus calles excitedly, “My favourite brother!”, Klaus then flicks his eyes to the left as if glaring at a person. It makes Diego suspicious.

“Luther’s not much competition,” Diego answers moving onto the important point. “Are you high?”

“Nuh, uh, straight out of rehab” Klaus holds up a 30 hour chip as proof, “Can I stay with you? Pretty please, I’ll be a great little housewife, like mom, oooh do you think a 50’s skirt would suit me? Too much flare?”

“I, uh-uh-uh, I’m sorry Klaus. I don’t have a house, you can’t crash at the barracks, it’s against the rules, I’ll get kicked out.” Diego replies reluctantly.

Klaus pouts a little, but his shoulders genuinely sag and Diego feels the need to make it up to him.

“Bu-but I can stay with you maybe? At your apartment? If you n-need help staying sober?” Diego offers as conciliation.

Klaus laughs at this,

“Oh brother mine, I don’t have a house at the moment, Daddy’s cut me off, never pay for your copious amount of substances with your bank account apparently, oh woe is me and mi-.”

“You’re homeless?!” Diego asks incredulously.

“That appears to be the case, uh” Klaus pauses for a second before glancing to his left and seemingly drawing himself together, “Please, I want to try and clean up a bit, only alcohol, no drugs maybe, and like, you know, adult. Is there no way I can stay with you?”

Against his better judgement Diego finds himself nodding, and that’s how he ends up smuggling Klaus into the boiler room of the police academy because he shares his room. It seems to be going, not well but okay, Klaus is willing for Diego to inspect his sobriety and meagre belongings each night to check he’s staying clean, and they go out to Griddy’s most nights, even if they don’t buy anything because Diego refuses to take money from Reginald and Reginald refuses to give it to Klaus.

Klaus is by nature a free spirit however, and refuses to stay in the boiler room all day. It was inevitable really when you come to think of it, but all Diego could think of was that two of his brothers were dead, and he didn’t want to raise that to a third.

It comes to an abrupt end when one of Diego’s roomies is also (unsurprisingly) present in his room when Klaus wandering bursts in wearing a skirt, one of Diego’s jackets, and most importantly, the roomie’s missing bandana.

Some aspersions on the nature of Diego’s sexuality are thrown out along with the (technically correct) word “Theif” and some homophobic slurs. Other things that are thrown out that night are Klaus (naturally), and one of Diego’s knives which he chucked at the arsehole. It didn’t hit (he’s not a  _ murderer _ ) but lines like “I never miss”, and “if I wanted him dead, he would be” don’t apparently have much clout and it’s only some very very quick talking on his part, and bringing up the homophobia and his being “provoked”, and all the shouting attract Eudora who also speaks on his behalf, and the showing of his sterling test scores that saves his place. But it’s made clear he is on very thin ice.

He goes out to speak to Klaus, of whom most of the male cadets think Diego is now dating (gross, it’s times like these he really hates being adopted”, afterwards, who was hanging around during the whole thing for whatever fucking reason, and he is so mad his stutter comes out in full force.

“You f-f-fucking, useless idiot Klaus! I told you not to wander around!” He feels slightly bad saying this, but he needs this, “You could have made b-both of us homeless!” he sighs.

“Look just, here’s some money I’ve saved from playing darts with the guys, call me if you need anything. Don’t hang around here again okay?”

He walks off before he can hear Klaus respond, he lets him keep the jacket, he’ll need it. He tries to ignore the part of him that’s calling him a douche. It’s not like he’s kicking Klaus out of his life forever, he’s sure Klaus will get that.

In 4 months Vanya will write her book. In 6 months some arsehole at the academy has read it and shared it with the others. His weird knife trick from the Klaus debacle, general physical description and the name Diego all get pieced together. They’re training to be detectives. In 6 months and 3 days Diego’s traumatic backstory is all over the academy. In 6 months and 5 days Diego is out of the academy for good for punching an arsehole and he’s out on the streets.

Diego had 6 siblings, two are dead, one is dead to him, one is on the other side of the country, one is still playing the good little soldier, and Klaus hasn’t called him in 6 months and 5 days.

He thinks there might be a boiler room at the boxing gym going spare. It feels ironic


	2. Time 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this one wound up a lot longer than I expected. Parts 4, 5, and the epilogue may be a while because I'm going away, but I have them plotted I guess.  
I hope you like it

Eudora’s working a night shift, and is currently supervising a junkie picked up for possession. He looks vaguely familiar, but she can’t quite place him and it’s mildly annoying her. He’s clearly pretty high, pupils are blown and occasionally turning his head to converse with thin air as if it’s responding. She turns to ask him if there is anyone they can call to post bail- she doubts it. The guy looks pretty bedraggled, possibly he’s been sleeping rough. She looks down at the details she’s been given.

“Klaus Hargreeves?” she asks to confirm.

“Yes, it’s him, the one and the only, what can I do for you?” he pulls, what she  _ assumes _ is meant to be a flirtatious grin. It would work better if he wasn’t high off his arse, looking like he crawled in off the street, and she, Eudora Patch, was not a fucking professional at her job.

“Is there anyone I can call to come get you?” expecting a no.

“Meinen Bruder, Diego,” Klaus trills, “I believe he’s one of you fine officers of the law.”

Suddenly it clicks into place in regards to when she’s seen this man before. He was there the night that Diego nearly got chucked out of the academy for throwing a knife. A few months later he  _ was  _ kicked out- but clearly Klaus doesn’t know this.

“Diego Hargreeves?” she asks, and god it’s weird thinking that his surname is Hargreeves- though it does explain why he was so against the whole surname thing. She’s kept in touch with Diego, despite him being kicked out, though they’ve both been pretty busy. Despite herself and the circumstances, she can’t help but be pleased and to view this as an opportunity to reconnect properly with Diego.

“Yup, you know Mr Scowly McStabby?” Klaus replies.

Eudora decides not to answer that:

“Well I’ll go call him now and hopefully he’ll be here soon.”

  
  


* * *

  
  
  


Diego is not expecting a phonecall. He doesn’t really get phonecalls, not anymore, only Eudora and the (very) rare crankcaller and Eudora is too courteous to call him at 3am in the morning when he is  _ trying _ to sleep. He still answers it though, it could be something urgent. Or an opportunity to flatly refuse something Luther asks.

“Diego speaking, hello?”

“Hello Mr Hargreeves, this is officer Patch calling from the station, your brother a Mr Klaus Hargreeves is awating bail and has been picked up for possession, if you could please-

“Eudora?!” a grin breaks out across his face at the sound of her voice, despite the annoyance he feels at Klaus, “I’m on my way, I’ll be there shortly” he says, much more flatly.

“Thank you,it’ll be good to see you Diego.”

  
  


Diego gets to the station in about 15 minutes and the sight of Klaus lolling around is one that greets him. He’d like to spend more time to speak to Eudora, but A. it’s not really appropriate, and B. he should probably get Klaus out of there, so he pays up, and makes a date with Eudora before hauling Klaus out of there and into his car.

“So,” he pauses, takes a breath, “What was it this time?”, he’s through being angry about drugs, he’s tired, and there’s no point in shouting at Klaus when he’s high.

“Uh, ecstasy,... mostly, some weed too. I’m hungry. Can we get waffles?”

Diego lets out a sigh, Klaus looks like he’s been living rough recently and could do with some food. “Yeah Klaus, we can get waffles.”

Klaus beams from the back seat,

“Thanks Diego, and also thanks for picking me up too, you didn’t have to do it.”

Yeah I did, Diego thinks, someone has to look out for Klaus because he’s certainly not looking out for himself, he doesn’t say this though. Too emotional and mushy.

They’re back in Diego’s… room, because he sure as hell isn’t letting Klaus go back to the streets. Diego’s longing for a drink so he pulls some out of the fridge, but refuses to let a yet to come down Klaus have any of it.

“What is it with you and boiler rooms bro? Some kind of fetish thing? Should I be concerned for my virtue?”, Klaus pretends to swoon before settling down on Diego’s bed like the prick he is.

They sit there for a bit, Diego feels kind of spacey, he’s pretty tired and he’s had a fair bit to drink.

“Why do you… is it worth it?” he asks Klaus, he honestly wants to know. He doesn’t see how Klaus could see any benefit in constantly being high of his arse, homeless, at threat of arrest and constantly interacting with all kinds of unsavoury characters. He knows Klaus can look after himself, they were all trained by Reginald, but  _ why _ ?

“Always, always worth it for that sweet sweet high, and you feel all free and I feel fantastic. You should try it, lighten up a little bit, could work wonders for you. I mean, it’s not like you use your knifey powers anymore anyway.” Klaus pauses here, turns to look at Diego who steadfastedly looks straight ahead.

“And uh, as I told you, I can’t see the ghosts when I’m like this. Need to be in the right frame of mind. They’re so  _ loud _ , and  _ annoying _ , just like Reggie, oh come here, do this, tell my mother this, justice that. Honestly I can’t stand them.” Klaus gives a little flourish as if to emphasise his point.

“Have you, have you ev-v-ver tr-tried to summon Five?” Diego asks, he does turn to face Klaus, scared of the answer.

“All business with you? Huh” Klaus laughs, but Diego just keeps staring at him, he wants an answer.

“Yeah, I tried when he first… ran off. I can’t, I think he time travelled, he’s probably living it up in the future the little shit, always thought he was better than us.” Klaus sniffles a little as he says this.

Diego doesn’t know what to think, he doesn’t think Five would just abandon them, he can’t imagine Five just living in the future without a care in the world, with caring about them. Just because Klaus couldn’t summon him right away, doesn’t mean he’s alive, Five’s tough, he knew how to fight. He wouldn’t have died right away, but. Well Diego trained to be a cop, the streets are no place for a 13 year old, regardless of how well he could fight. Anyway Klaus has been high pretty much consistently since he left home, since Ben died really barring a few stints in rehab. Klaus probably couldn’t summon Five if he tried. A horrible thought comes to him all of a sudden, what if they’re both right. What if Five died in the future, alone, and his ghost doesn’t exist yet.

He wishes he could talk to Five or Ben, tell them that he’s sorry. That as number Two he should have looked out for them. He feels briefly jealous of Klaus who can talk to them whenever he wants. Then Diego remembers the conversation he had with Klaus the night Ben died, and thinks about seeing Ben’s mutilated corpse again. He feels sick. He doesn’t ask Klaus if he’s ever summoned Ben, he thinks he knows. He doesn’t want to know. He doesn’t want to ask to see Ben, because he does want to talk to him so badly, but well he needs to look out for all his brothers. He should place the wellbeing of the one still alive over the dead one.

“Soooooo, enough about lil’ ol’ me! Tell me all the goss about your life Diego?!” Klaus blurts out, interrupting Diego from his musings, “How come you’re not in the police academy anymore- you didn’t get kicked out on my account did you?” Klaus asks, suddenly sounding slightly guilty.

“No, just about,” he says, turning to glare at Klaus jokingly, “it was about 6 months later. When Vanya published her stupid book. They were talking crap abou our life, so I called an arsehole out and next thing you know I’m out the door.”

Just thinking about it makes him angry all over again at the pricks at the academy, at Vanya for exposing all their secrets without  _ asking _ them anything. Yeah maybe they didn’t treat her the best as a kid, but he thought they had moved past that. But suddenly his past is now avaliable for anyone to read and think they know him.

“Oh,” Klaus says, “Yeah that. I haven’t read it yet.”

“Don’t,” Diego interrupts, “It’ll just fuck you up, and give her fucking royalties.”

Klaus raises an eyebrow at that, and he scowls back.

“Well, anyway, what do you do now, brother mine? You know, now that you’re no longer training the be one of the  _ city’s finest _ .”, Klaus puts finger quotes around the last two words, but otherwise it seems like an honest question.

“I help out at the gym, mop the floors you know, box some nights. Can get decent money off that, one thing I can thank Reginald for I guess.” he would feel more embarrassed at admitting to basically being a janitor, but he’s talking to  _ Klaus _ , junkie, likely homeless Klaus who can’t really judge.

“It’s not really what I want to do though. Like the police academy, was dumb, it was full of arseholes and had far too many rules and regulations and you would not  _ believe _ the amount of paperwork you had to do. Just ridiculous, we could be way more help if some of the stupid rules were ditched you know. But…” Diego trails off here, slightly embarrassed.

Klaus looks at him expectantly,

“But I like helping people, I liked it. It’s just about the only thing I liked about the academy, uh the Umbrella Academy I mean. You know, going into banks and stopping them from shooting the hostages, feeling like we were actually doing some  _ good _ . You think it’s dumb don’t you.” Diego suddenly feels extremely insecure, like he hasn’t since he was 15 and stuttered when taking down criminals. He feels his face heating up.

“I don’t know bro, you can still help people you know? Like you said, why don’t you just be a police officer without all the rules, then you can help people but don’t have to do the dumb shit.” Klaus offers, and thank god he’s not taking the piss.

“That’s, that’s not how it works? I got kicked out of the academy I can’t just be an officer again.”

“Noooooo, not what I meant Diego mi amigo, like, work  _ outside _ the police, you could use your knives that way and like…” Diego decides to interrupt Klaus before he gets too carried away.

“You mean like a  _ vigilante?!I _ ” Diego asks, in shock, though the more he thinks about it, the more appealing it sounds. Like when he was a kid, except  _ he’s _ in charge now, and like the police, but with none of those stupid  _ codes _ . He knows where the police scanners are kept, and it won’t be too much trouble to go back to the house to get his domino. Maybe he can see mom. The thoughts are spinning around in his head and beginning to form a fully fledged plan. He lies back on his bed and turns to Klaus again.

“Thanks Klaus, that’s like, actually a good idea.”

“Yeah yeah, well I’m tired now, so night night, don’t let the bed bugs bite.” Klaus mumbles out.

“Okay, and Klaus, we’ll talk more about, this evening in the morning okay? Sleep well too.” Diego goes to turn out the light before stripping and going to bed. He hears Klaus mumble and “okay sure” before he closes his eyes and sleep takes him.

In the morning Klaus is gone. So is his wallet.

Diego tries to feel surprised.


	3. Time 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey, sorry about the delay. sorry for any spelling errors or mistakes etc, please tell me if you spot any.  
This turned out wayyy longer than I expected heh.

Diego doesn’t hear from Klaus for, well, long enough he’s not keeping track anymore. Which is probably for the best after Klaus stole his wallet. It’s not even the theft itself, yeah Diego is  _ pissed off _ that Klaus stole his money (especially as it meant he had to accept his monthly allowance from Reginald for the first time in years to buy groceries), but the betrayal of the act stings more. He’d let Klaus into his house and tried to help him, he hadn’t even pushed that hard, he had just wanted Klaus  _ safe _ , but no. His <strike>stupid </strike> little addict brother had to go and walk all over that trust. He had taken up Klaus’s suggestion to become a vigilante (kind of) in the meantime however. That was how he found himself at a drugs bust tonight.

It hadn’t been hard for Diego to obtain a police radio. He may have not even made it through the police academy, but he still knew the basics of the station, and it helped that everyone was used to seeing him there to spend time with Eudora (“Patch!”) on her breaks. An alert had gone out mentioning a shooting at a suspected crack den, and Diego, being the helpful citizen he is, had rushed over there in order to try and resolve the situation before the cops. He relished in being able to help people without all the ridiculous rules and regulations of the police force or even the rigid formality of umbrella academy debriefings.

He hasn’t been doing this vigilante shtick for too long though, long enough  <strike> since he was a kid </strike> to not make rookie mistakes and to know what he’s doing, but not quite long enough to have really made a name for himself. It helps that he’s pretty sure many of the people he...  _ interacts _ with, are too shit scared to say anything about him, and he’s only even more recently started showing up at police crime scenes too. Before he’d been scouting out the liquor and convenience stores and the shitty alleys. Place where lowlives go to commit crimes but ones that don’t get reported, at least not while they’re happening. Places near where he lives because he doesn’t have a car- he was saving up before Klaus, well yeah. He’s not sure  _ if _ he wants to get a vigilante reputation this time around. It’s easier to act in the shadows, he  _ hated  _ <strike> _ hates  _ </strike> the fame he got as “Number Two Hargreeves”, and he knows Eudora wouldn’t  _ get _ it  <strike> she’d feel betrayed </strike> . But the point is, he’s still an almost entirely rouge element right now, and he’s waiting on the roof of the building double checking the cops aren’t too near before lowering himself through an open window.

“What the shi-”

* * *

  
  
  


Sometimes Diego feels like he’s living in a comic book or something. He’s a child soldier with superhero powers who teamed up with his similarly powered siblings. The amount of just  _ bizzare _ shit in his life is staggering, and he’s managed to stumble into his addict brother in a crack den that he’s in the middle of taking down, or trying to at least. The coincidence is unreal.

Diego’s shout of confusion and annoyance was broken off by the sound of sirens in the distance. Deciding explanations could happen later, and that frankly maybe the police did have the situation in hand this time (or they’d be able to handle it whatever) decided to grab his suprisingly lucid seeming brother and get out of there before they both got arrested.

“Okay Klaus, we’re going, out the window, just like sneaking out to Griddy’s.” Diego gives Klaus a little push towards the window as he says this, “I can’t believe your fucking arse,” he mutters as Klaus nods and climbs out.

It’s a matter of hiding in the bushes briefly as they wait for the coast to become clear before they sneak off into the night, or, more specifically to Griddy’s. Frankly the amount of times Klaus, or Diego, or Diego  _ and _ Klaus come here in the early hours of the morning is enough that he’s starting to think they come more frequently now than in the day. Diego even has a regular booth, which apparently is also the same booth Klaus uses when he comes in alone. He’s not sure what to do with his brother this time, but they need to talk  <strike> Diego needs to shout at Klaus to take more care of himself goddamnit </strike> about what the fuck Klaus was doing there- not that it’s hard to guess. Also about Klaus stealing his shit and running out on him, and his radio silence too. Diego was annoyed at Klaus, but he still worries about him, he doesn’t really like (not really despite what he might tel himself sometimes) going long periods of time without hearing from Klaus. It’s to be expected though it seems.

“Are you high right now?” first things first, Diego wants to know what state of Klaus he’s dealing with.

“I mean, always brother dearest, but uh, right now I’m on the come down, have been for a bit so if you want to shout at me sober about… whatever, now’s the time.” Klaus responds rolling his eyes a bit, as if he is deliberately trying to antagonise Diego.

“Do you know why I was there Klaus?” Diego starts, trying to impress the importance of the issue, and how much danger Klaus puts himself in. He’s interrupted though before he can continue.

“Uh, noooo actually. Yeah- Why were you there? No! Don’t tell me! Not you, Mr drugs are scum, sober up Klaus was there to buy drugs?! You were going to pop your drug cherry? I would think it would help you lighten up, so serious all the time. They don’t do weed there though my man so-” Klaus rambles

“I wasn’t there to buy fucking drugs!” Diego hisses, “I was there because there were reports of a disturbance in the building, suspected shooting! You could have been killed! Why do you keep putting yourself in these dangerous situations? Do you like the ghosts so much you want to go join them? Is that it?” He’s trying very hard to keep himself from shouting in a public place, and he just about manages it though it’s hard.

“If you’re just going to shout at me and tell me what I know, then I’m just going to go get a doggy bag and take this delicious waffle with me and go- I get enough of that from Ben. And anyway, I wouldn’t get hurt, not with you my fearless brother being the protector of the streets, the leather’s a good look on you.” Klaus shoots back, and actually starts calling over Agnes to get a paper bag it seems, and no, that can’t happen, he can’t let Klaus go again.

“Okay, Jeez, sorry calm down, let’s just.” He sighs, he knew this would happen no matter what, he always seems to be cleaning up after Klaus’s messes, and he doesn’t mind, they’re  _ brothers _ , but it gets  _ tiring, _ and god, is Diego sick of being tired.

“Let’s just finish our food, and then you can come back to my… where I live again. I’m guessing by the fact I found you in a crack den that you don’t have a place right now.”

Klaus looks suprised by the offer, which is fair, Diego is also kind of suprised considering that Klaus  _ stole _ from him last time, ostensibly to get high, which kind of makes it worse but yeah. Diego might be kind of an arsehole, he’s very aware of it, but Klaus is his brother. The only sibling he’s really got left, after everything, after all Reginald’s divide and conquer bullshit and  _ Vanya’s _ stupid book. Diego can’t just leave Klaus here with his waffles, and go back to his room knowing Klaus will sleep on the streets, he can’t.

“I’m not Luther, I’m not  _ that  _ much of an arsehole. You take my money and run again though and we’ll see how close I need to be to stick a knife in you.” He settles for instead of saying his thoughts. He tries to glare to get the threat to land, but he has a feeling he’s failed. Klaus beams up at him instead and they finish their meal, catching up. Diego bringing Klaus up to speed with his vigilante antics, and Diego finding out far, far, far more than he ever really wanted to know about the details of Klaus’ sex life.

* * *

  
  
  


When they wind up outside the gym where Diego sleeps it’s starting to get light outside. Diego pauses after letting Klaus into the building outside the door to the boiler room.

“Stay here for a minute until I say you can come in, don’t go anywhere.” he says to Klaus. Once bitten twice shy they say. He may be letting Klaus back into his house, but as much as he wants to trust Klaus, he wants to keep his stuff safe, he hides his wallet and rehides his emergency cash stash (it’s kept with his underwear and Klaus would definitely rifle through that) in one of his boots. He takes off his harness and locks the knives he has on away in a case, Klaus wouldn’t bother lugging the whole thing around. One more quick look around his room, and he can’t think of anything else worth stealing or that’s worth a lot of money. He feels kind of bad for treating his brother like this, but Diego is starting to see how desperate Klaus is, he’s really a junkie now. Like the ones the guys in the academy would decry as useless, and he knows a bit about addict behaviour. He knows that if Klaus really gets itching for a fix he might not care about Diego not really. It’s worrying he’s not sure if he’s really able to help Klaus anymore, but god help  _ him _ he’s still going to try. He calls for Klaus to come in.

“Did you have to hide some incriminating evidence from me huh? Dirty underwear? Very clean in here you know, didn’t notice last time, probably because I was high, you didn’t clean up for little old me did you? You shouldn’t have. Anyway, what is it for me? Bed or floor?” Klaus talks without seeming to breathe (which is Diego’s power, yet Klaus seems to be able to utilise it too when it comes to conversation).

“Floor, unless you feel like sharing, I’ve got some spare blankets somewhere.” Diego is glad none of them have a proper job or anything because he is so tired. Not just from the lack of sleep, and he is very glad he doesn’t have anywhere to be for several hours until he’s meeting Eudora for some coffee,  <strike>at her apartment and god he’s so gone for her </strike> at some point in the evening  <strike>five thirty</strike>, and he mopped the floors before he went out so he’s good to crash for a while. Klaus flops on to the bed, so that solves that specific issue of getting blankets out for him.

“Take your shoes off,” he tells Klaus, “I don’t want you to get my bed all muddy”

Klaus shoots him what is clearly supposed to be a sorrowful look,

“But I’m soooo tired Diego” Klaus whines, “take them off for me?” he asks more hopefully.

Diego just snorts in response to that and sets to brushing his teeth instead.

He’s partway through flossing when Klaus speaks up again. “I tried rehab again. It didn’t stick, I mean clearly,” he gestures to himself , “It’s, it’s hard. I don’t know if I can do it Diego. They don’t ever leave me alone. I didn’t even get two weeks before I couldn’t hack it anymore.” Klaus mumbles something else Diego can’t hear, but generally if you can’t hear Klaus it means whatever he said wasn’t directed to you, so he doesn’t bother trying to catch it.

“Anyway, I know you want me to try again, but here’s me saying I did. Thanks for the bed. You’re a good brother you know. Ben agrees.”

The mention of Ben in the present makes Diego’s throat tighten slightly. He has to swallow twice before he can get the words out.

“Get some sleep, we’ll figure it out in the morning. You’re not so bad when you’re not high as a kite.” it’s not entirely what he means to say, but honestly rude as it is, it’s sometimes how he feels. He slides into bed and crashes fast.

* * *

  
  


When he wakes up he’s alone and a sliver of disappointment and hurt snakes through his chest. He gets dressed and checks the time. He’s still got an hour until he needs to leave to go to Eudora’s (he’s allowed to call her that now, coffee dates at her apartment mean he can call her by her name right?), and decides to polish his knives while in the meantime. That’s when he sees the note on his case.

_ Diego, dont worry Ill be back not running out on you again, ive left my jacket as collateral! See ya, maybe i can cook when im back _

_ Klaus ;p _

He feels both touched and suprised, and also a little pleased that Klaus thought to leave him a note. Slightly alarmed at the thought of eating food Klaus has cooked though. The man’s never had a kitchen in his life. He’s still got another 15 minutes after relocking his knife case so he gets out the phone book to call the rehab centre. He’s planning on having this conversation with Klaus again tonight, but he wants to have information, know how it works. He’s considering asking Eudora when he goes to see her, get a cop’s perspective on recovering from addiction. He writes down the details of the one he calls, and then quickly scans the book to write down the numbers of a few more before he has to leave. He scribbles a note for Klaus to tell him he’s out for the evening and leaves him 5 bucks in case he wants to buy food.

  
  
  


Spending time with Eudora (he can call her that now, she laughingly confirmed) is as brilliant as always. Near the end of the visit he brings up Klaus. She’s met him twice now, and Diego used to talk about him a bit when they were at the academy. She tries to give him some advice, and suggested that he push Klaus to try rehab again. “It can take many tries Diego” she’d said. Maybe his support through the process would help this time. Diego certainly hopes so, he’d tried to support Klaus the first time through, but in hindsight secreting your recovering addict brother in a boiler room of the police barracks is probably not recommended by any kind of rehab. He leaves a little more hopeful, and far happier- but that’s just the affect Eudora has on him.

He deflates when he gets back to the gym though. Klaus is gone, but so is his jacket, and oh shi- so are all his notes about rehab. Diego’s not naive enough to think Klaus is off to try again. He’s pissed that Diego wants him to try just after he told him he’d failed. He wants to kick Klaus for being so stupid. He just wants to  _ help _ . His good mood is entirely gone. He sits on his bed and wants to cry. He wishes why he knew Klaus seemed so resistant. He’s slowly becoming resigned to it though. There are only so many times you can try to help someone, and there’s only so much Diego can give. Klaus needs to shoulder some of the fucking responsibility.

He gets out his knives to sharpen them and clean them again even though they don’t need it. Once he’s done the case, he gets out the cutlery and does that too. Then he starts in on the other random knives he has, the familiar and repetitive task helping to distract him from his confusing and  _ irritating _ feelings about his  _ stupid  _ <strike> little </strike> brother.

It hits him like a blow when he realises. Klaus has left a little note inside the sock drawer. 

_ Sorry i can’t do rehab again now,  _

_ 4. _

The note isn’t what hits him hard though. The knife case is gone (and the knife with it). The knife mom had given to him as a gift. It’s got his name on it, so he couldn’t use it crime fighting. It’s also got the umbrella symbol which probably means it’s worth a lot as memorabilia. But he’s never really thought of that before, it was a gift from mom. He can’t ever go back to that house, and Klaus has taken his last fucking connection from mom. He screams and shoves the drawer. Then he gets dressed to go out, there’ll be some fucking arsehole just waiting to be stabbed out there tonight.

Maybe he should have known better than to think Klaus could change. 

If Klaus rang him up for help tomorrow, Diego’s not sure if he would go.

Diego hates his family, hates that Reginald’s fucked them up. He also hates himself.

Klaus is his  _ brother _ . Why?

On the streets though, there will be  _ someone _ he can help. This is the only good thing the umbrella academy’s ever given him  <strike> except his siblings </strike> , the  _ only thing. _

He chucks the information Eudora gave him on rehab centres in the area as he leaves.


	4. Time Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> have some accidental Luther.  
wow this one ended up wayyy longer than I meant again.  
Hopefully I'll have the epilogue out soon, should have some Klaus POV (maybe some Ben time)  
sorry for spelling or grammar errors

Klaus rings once afterwards, a few weeks later. Diego isn’t actually there when the call comes through and only hears about it from Al, who takes the opportunity to remind Diego that he’s not his messenger service. Diego doesn’t call back and it feels _ good _ . Good to let Klaus know that he can’t just expect Diego to roll over every time he treats him like crap, that his actions have _ consequences _ . Also he knows he’d just shout, and get mad, and that wouldn’t help the situation in the slightest. There is little that Klaus (that any of them really, except maybe Luther with his leader complex) react to worse than being shouted at or belittled. Thanks Reggie. Diego … well he doesn’t _ regret _ it per se, but- don’t get him wrong he’s pissed- but he doesn’t then hear from Klaus again. He won’t get a phone call from Klaus until after the funeral, in fact, but he didn’t know that then. As much as Diego feels unsure if he can help Klaus anymore, he still worries, and he does still want his brother to be alright. He wants him to be _ clean _, it doesn’t seem that Klaus wants that though, and that is the bit that matters.

  


He’s moving on with his life. It’s not at all the glamour he had imagined when leaving the academy, but it’s his, and he makes his own choices. He’s started participating in some boxing matches to get extra cash, it’s a healthy way to express and let out his aggression and emotions, Eudora says. He enjoys it too, and he’s good at it. He’s always willing to help out with training at the gym. He’s started cutting down on his vigilante activity a bit, not too much but some. He also avoids junkie calls now, he doesn’t want to live in a state of annoyance hope that it might be Klaus only to turn up and find out it’s not. He’s also scared it _ is _ Klaus, and he’s not sure what he would say. But that’s not why he’s reducing his vigilante activity on the whole though, no- that’s because his… thing with Eudora. Their thing, has moved along a bit (a lot), he’s got a key now, and he’s starting to spend nights there. It’s harder to keep it a secret if he’s spending more time with her. If he got found out, their relationship would probably be over <strike> and so would her career and Diego can’t be responsible for tanking someone else's life, he knows how that feels. </strike>

So yeah. He’s moving on with his life, away from all that Hargreeves' _ bullshit _ , all of it. Reginald, the academy and all the superhero shit, the pent up rage and anger (maybe), dysfunctional relationships, his “siblings” (Five and Ben <strike> and Klaus? </strike> Will never be bullshit, but thinking too much about them hurts). It’s good, it feels freeing. This may not be exactly where he expected his life to be at when he was 16 (he thought he’d be a _ police officer _ , what a joke), but he’s happy with it. He feels genuinely content, not like when he was at the police academy, always chafing but desperately pushing it down, because it had been his one hope. He’s actually just content, and it is _ glorious _. Except for two (three) things.

One. Reginald is still kicking around like a bad smell, can’t he just do everyone a favour and kick off already? Diego harbours no affection or love for the man who called himself their father. Just a lot of bitterness, and some not too little hatred he’s trying to let go of because that man doesn’t deserve his emotions.

Two. He misses Mom. Sue him, he’s a mommy’s boy. But she’d really cared about them, the only one to really care about them as kids. Now that <strike> Klaus stole </strike>he’s lost the last connection he had to her, his knife, he misses her more. It’s not worth it to go back to that hell hole though. As much as he would like to see her.

Three. Klaus is still a homeless addict, who while Diego isn’t going to let him back into his life properly again- unless he shows up going to rehab or sober, doesn’t want to cut his brother (and last sibling he (can) give any kind of shit about) out entirely, and definitely doesn’t want him winding up with the same fate as Five and Ben despite Klaus’ seeming intentions. He would deny this to his last breath though, if anyone asked what the problems with his life consisted of. For all extents and purposes he only has two.

So, it’s only after he’s really settling down that Klaus finds his way back to Diego. In the worst way possible.

* * *

Diego almost misses the phone call, he’s heading out to, for a lack of a better way to put it, _ fight crime _. Though these days it consists more of intervening in situations where someone clearly needs help than seeking out danger. This means he’s in full vigilante gear.

“Is there a Diego Hargreeves here?” the voice on the phone asks. Biting down a reflexive scowl at the surname, he replies with some confusion.

“Speaking, who is this?”

“This is the county hospital, I’m calling on behalf of a Number Four Hargreeves,” there is a slightly questioning tone when saying the name, and all Diego can think is to roll his eyes in exasperation, because _ of course _ Klaus never got around to legally changing his name. _ Idiot _. Then fear grips him, because why is the hospital contacting him?

“You’re listed as his emergency contact, he’s not in any critical danger but it would be appreciated if you could come into the hospital as soon as possible.” well that explains why he’s being called at least.

“Wh-wh-” damn his stutter coming back at the most inconvenient times, “Why is he, is he alright?” Diego asks, trying to frantically take off his harness one handed and grab his wallet to take the bus to the hospital.

“He’s not in any immediate danger, I can’t disclose too much information over the phone I’m afraid” the voice responds.

Diego hangs up after saying he’ll be there shortly, he debates ringing Eudora before he leaves, before deciding to just go and catch the bus, hoping Klaus is fine.

* * *

Newsflash, Klaus is not fine. He’s not dying though, and suprisingly enough he’s not here because he’s overdosed. It would be too much to hope that Klaus had not wound up in the hospital due to drugs in some manner though however, and that is in fact the case. Apparently there was something toxic? What exactly, Diego’s not entirely sure because neither are the doctors and Klaus most certainly doesn’t know. 

Diego nods as the doctor fills him in, Klaus needs to stay for a day or so more to check no complications arise, but otherwise he should be fine. Diego is mostly trying to keep his eyes averted from, well everything, to avoid accidentally catching sight of a needle but his attention is brought back by the question of insurance. Klaus obviously has none, and neither of them have much cash.

“Uh, no, no he doesn’t have any, I’ll,” he sighs here, no matter what he always seems to be cleaning up Klaus’ messes, “I’ll sort it, just give me the paperwork.” The doctor nods at that before moving on to the next topic.

“Mr Hargreeves,” Diego can’t quite suppress the twitch that goes through him at hearing that name used for him, “I would strongly recommend rehab for your brother. We found illicit substances in his bloodstream, have you ever considered an-” 

“Yes, I agree, I’ve- he’s- we’ve tried, but I’ll do it again, just once he’s out of here.” Diego interrupts before the man can continue. With that the doctor seems to consider her job done and goes to leave. Diego sinks down in the chair next to the bed and sighs. Klaus isn’t awake? Concious?, well he’s not talking and that’s something that only happens when Klaus is out so he can’t shout at Klaus. It’s probably for the best, he can’t tell him how worried he is about him either though. He’s got to make some phonecalls now he realises. He doesn’t want to.

He calls Eudora first.

“Detective Patch speaking, how can I help you?” she must be on a night shift, Diego curses himself, of course she’s on a night shift, that had been the whole point of him going out tonight, he shakes his head and moves on.

“Hey, it’s me, Diego, I know you’re busy, don’t want to bother you at work, it’s just,” he breaks off here and breathes out, unsure what to say.

“Diego? Is everything okay?” she asks, after he doesn’t continue speaking.

“Klaus is in the hospital, I’m here with him right now. Laced drugs, he’ll be fine, it’s just… I don’t know. Um anyway I’m going to sign him into rehab tomorrow so if you’ve got the morning free could you let me borrow your car? Or give us a lift? I don’t really want to take him on the bus you know.” He feels kind of guilty asking Eudora to do this for him, he doesn’t like feeling reliant on others, the only one you can really count on is yourself, but also he knows that she’s busy and has her own life, and he doesn’t want to dump his problems in her lap. Anymore than he already does with his general fucked up ness.

“I’m sorry Diego, that’s hard, I know things are complicated. It’s good that he’s wanting to get help though? If he’s asking to go to rehab?” Eudora tells him earnestly. Klaus hasn’t actually said he _ wants _ to go to rehab, but that seems kind of irrelevant- why wouldn’t he want to get clean? So Diego just mmms in response before she continues.

“I’m really sorry about the car though Diego, I thought I told you, but I’m going to visit my parents for the weekend, and I’m driving up there as soon as I get off. I can get you a taxi though, if it’s a problem? I’m sorry-” Diego cuts her off before she can finish feeling embarassed,

“No! No, that’s fine, yeah you did, I just forgot with… this, I thought you were going later. Don’t worry about the taxi, I should have thought of that, I’ll do it myself, have a good time with your parents, I should probably let you get back to work,” he pauses here awkwardly for a minute, “I-, uh, love you, have a good time.”

"I love you too Diego, I hope it works out.” she hangs up then, but the smile takes a moment to wipe itself off of his face, despite the situation. However any good mood evaporates pretty quickly when he moves onto the next phonecall he has to make.

He needs money, hospitals, taxis, and rehab all cost money. Diego is, decidedly not raking it in. He needs to call Luther. He still refuses to call Reginald.

  


The phone doesn’t ring for long, Luther probably camps out next to the house phone- if he hasn’t moved it into his room in case of an emergency or something. Diego’s not really used to talking to his siblings, and he hates asking for things, so he doesn’t mean to be quite as aggressive as he comes off.

“Hello, you’ve reached the umbrella academy, how can I help.” Luther states authoritatively.

“Luther it’s Diego, I need money, and I need you to not tell dad. I haven’t collected my allowance in… a while (since Klaus stole all his wallet with all his money and cards), I should be owed a fair bit in backpay, I’ll take the past 8 months.” Diego presses out as businesslike and steady as he can.

“Diego?!” Luther asks shocked, “What are you up to? Why shouldn’t I tell dad? Why do you need so much money, are you in trouble. Honestly Diego you need to grow up, I heard you got kicked out of your job…”

Diego’s had enough so he interrupts Luther before he can finish. 

“I’ve got bills I need to pay, not that it’s really any of your business, and I don’t think I’m the one who needs to grow up. Out of the two of us who’s still living at home with _ daddy _ ?” he shakes his head, he’s getting sidetracked, “I’m only calling because I really need it, and it’s my money anyway. I’m entitled to it, I’ve yet to be cut off. Look just… _ please _ Luther. I told my bank not to accept any transfers from dad. You’ll need to transfer it over, but please.” Diego pauses, and decides to bring out his trump card when Luther doesn’t say anything. 

“I’ve started becoming a vigilante, I need start up cash, I’m being a superhero again. That’s something dad would approve of right?” it’s not a flat out lie, it doesn’t pay well, and he has been doing it. It’s just he’s been starting to quit.

“Okay Diego, that seems like a good reason. I’ll look forward to hearing about you in the newspaper soon, I’m sure dad would like the surprise of your name showing up”, Luther says the last part rather pointedly, with the implication that Diego better get a name for himself so that Luther can have proof that he’s not lying. Also that he won’t tell dad, for now. Diego nods to himself.

“Thank you,” he grits out, before he hangs up. That went surprisingly easier than he expected, but he still hates it. Being beholden to Luther is almost as bad as being indebted to Reginald, and he doesn’t like the looming threat of having to up his vigilante lifestyle. But he’s got money to pay the bills now, so he’ll take each day as it comes. In the meantime he settles down in the chair and waits for Klaus to wake up.

* * *

Diego wakes up to the sound of someone talking animatedly. It’s a one sided conversation which likely means that Klaus is talking to a ghost, this is confirmed when he opens his eyes to see no one else in the room.

“Jeez, stop being such a mother hen, _ I’m _ the older one. I’m still here aren’t I? Can’t have been too bad.” a pause

“ What do you mean: well Diego’s here? What has that got to do with the seriousness of the problem?” Klaus continues, and Diego’s had enough.

“Klaus.”

Klaus startles and whips his head round to face Diego, looking slightly guilty.

“Diego… you’re not still mad about the knife are you, please don’t stab me I’m in hospital.” the mention of the knife sends a spark of anger and bitterness through him, but he shakes his head. He’s not really mad anymore, just sad.

“Oh thank god, good. I don’t want to get stabbed, I’m frail, can’t you see? So apparently there was something in the drugs? Never gonna use that dealer again I guess, but desperate times you know. For what it’s worth, I _ am _ sorry about the knife, it’s just comedown is hard and ghosts are bitchy, and I probably shouldn’t have done it, it was worth quite a bit though, got me the good quality drugs, and when can I leave here, I hate hospitals, full of dead people- _ yes, you included _.” Klaus seems like he would keep rambling in his one sided conversation with a ghost so Diego takes the opportunity to interrupt.

“_ Klaus.” _

“Oh, yes?”

“We can go now, I’m calling a taxi.”

“Taxi? Not the bus, wow Diego pulling out all the stops, maybe I should get myself hospitalised more often…”

“_ Don’t _ joke about that!” he shouts, the stress of the past few hours getting to him, “They called me saying you’d been admitted, don’t you get how scared I was? You can’t keep doing this Klaus. It’ll kill you.” He sighs, time to see how Klaus will react.

“I’m taking you to rehab. Don’t even think about arguing.” he says.

Klaus shrugs, “If that’s what it’ll take for you to get me out of here, nicer than the streets anyway.”

“Yeah, yeah you need it. I’ll pick you up in, 3 days? You can stay with me once you’re sober, it’ll be like when I was at the police academy. But better, I own the boiler room now, and I’ll help you, and you can get clean, and maybe I’ll get a proper job again, we’ll see, and get our own apartment and you’ll get off the streets.” Diego’s not sure whether he’s trying harder to convince Klaus or himself really. “Just promise me you’ll try?”

“Okay, sure, whatever you say. I’ll do rehab.”

This is going better than Diego hoped, it’s with a far lighter and optimistic heart he drops Klaus off at rehab and signs him in.

He should have known it wouldn’t have been that simple.

* * *

It’s been 3 days and he’s gone to pick up Klaus. He got slightly waylaid after spending the night at Eudora’s (who had just gotten back), and oversleeping, content in her presence. He goes into the reception to pick Klaus up, but he’s not there- even though Diego is the one running late. He waits for another five minutes before going up to the counter to ask.

“Klaus?” the guy at the desk asks, “he left last night, he’d sobered up, did his thirty hours, and more frankly, so we let him go.”

Diego groans and hits the desk before turning to leave. Why had he expected anything different. It had been stupid to expect Klaus to stick around, especially after the last two times. But he’d _ hoped _ this time. He thought maybe if Klaus was actually _ sober _, not just less high than usual it might work.

He wanders around town for a bit, angry, hurt and betrayed, but still looking for Klaus. Maybe he wasn’t allowed to stay for longer, an optimistic bit of him hopes. Maybe he just wanted to get out, and has gone back to Diego’s or is waiting for him somewhere. He doesn’t really believe it though.

* * *

But then. But then he _ does _ find Klaus, and the coincidence is astounding. The circumstances are not. He finds Klaus walking away from a drug deal and popping pills into his mouth. A great wave of anger overtakes him.

He’s spent countless hours, and levels of emotional energy on trying to help Klaus and the man doesn’t even seem to want to _ try _ . He’s sick and fucking tired of trying to help him when he so _ clearly _ doesn’t want to be helped. He’s spent a considerable amount of money on him, buying him food, and letting him stay in his room even though it’s _ tiny _. He put his own neck on the line at the police academy to let him sober up and this. And this is how Klaus repays him?! 

He wonders if Klaus ever really intended to try and _ stay _ clean after he got out of rehab this time. If this had been his plan all along, or if Klaus had wanted to clean up initially but had changed his mind, or just simply been tempted. Diego doesn’t want to know. He’s not sure which is worse.

Klaus has noticed him now, a guilty deer in the headlights expression blooming on his face. He’s just come out of _ rehab _ , after being released from the _ hospital _ due to cut drugs. _ Why _ is he going back? _ Why? _ Doesn’t he get this is going to kill him.

Diego doesn’t think he can do this any more he really doesn’t. A great tide of anger overtakes him.

“What the fuck are you doing Klaus? Do you have an actual death wish? You just got _ out _ of the hospital!.” Klaus opens his mouth, but for once it’s Diego who steamrolls over him.

“What if these drugs have got shit in them too?! What if I got another call today from the hospital saying you’d been admitted! What if I got a call from the _ morgue? _ Do you _ ever _ think about anyone other than yourself?” Diego grows louder and louder, and it’s so cathartic to let it out.

“I tried, I really tried, I did. I gave you chance and opportunity time and time again but you know what? I’ve had enough. I’m done, I’m utterly done. I am _ through _ with you and your bullshit Klaus. Lose my number, I don’t want to hear from you again. Ever. I am sick and tired of fucking helping you out, so fucking sick of it. If you even think of contacting me without having cleaned yourself up I will haul you in myself so help me. I’m leaving.”

He doesn’t look back. Even when Klaus calls out for him to “wait, please, _please,_ _._” and then a “well _fuck you_ Diego, Ben’s the only brother I need”. He doesn’t know if he hates himself for it.

He doesn’t _ want _ to look back. Not even deep down, he doesn’t want Klaus in his life. He _ doesn’t _. Not like this.

His eyes are dry as he returns to the gym. There’s a package left outside the gym, it’s the camp bed he asked Eudora to pick up for him. She’s left a little note on it telling him to spend the next few days with his brother.

He laughs hollow. He doesn’t have _ any _brothers. Or sisters for that matter. Not ones that count.

He goes out that night instead. He’s only got so long before Luther will smell a rat about the whole vigilante thing.

He goes to the drug calls on the police radio now. He truly doesn’t care.

He won’t see Klaus until Reginald dies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel I should say, just because it's Diego's POV it doesn't necessarily mean he's right, or his attitude is right. That being said, he's not utterly unjustified. There is only so much you can help someone who doesn't want help, Diego is also kind of a mess, umbrella academy gave all 7 of the kids trauma. He's finally got a good thing going in his life, and he feels like Klaus is sort of dragging that down, and honestly he's put him through a lot of shit.
> 
> feel free to disagree with me though


	5. Epilogue or Time 6 (aka + 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for any mistakes, feel free to point them out (please do)

“Wait, please,  _ please,”  _ Klaus begs, but Diego doesn’t halter or turn around, or show in anyway at all really that he’s heard Klaus. Well this calls for one response only.

“Well  _ fuck you _ Diego!” he shouts at his retreating brother’s back. It’s not like he needs him anyway, not if he’s just going to be all high and mighty like Luther, and  _ Dad _ , and everyone else in this god forsaken family. Except Ben- but Ben’s dead so he doesn’t count. He tells him this.

“Well you really screwed that up didn’t you.” Ben says deadpan from where he’s leaning against a dumpster. 

“Couldn’t even go a day out of rehab before getting high again. You know he actually wanted to help you, you know.” Ben continues, with something of an accusatory note in his voice. “And he’s right too, you can’t just keep fucking him and yourself over and expect help, and for people to be there for you.”

Klaus rolls his eyes exaggeratedly,

“Well if you’re just going to be like  _ that _ , then I’m going to go and find  _ better  _ company. In a club, where I can get other people to buy drinks for me.” Klaus blows a raspberry for good measure too, as much as he loves Ben, he’s frankly sick of lectures for today. And in general.

“He’s a dick though.” Ben says conversationally, suddenly at his side again- stupid ghost abilities, Klaus can’t ever actually get him to  _ leave _ . Not that he really wants him too. Not unless Ben wants to go as well.

“Really now Ben! Disgracing our brother like this? How could you! Just a moment ago you were singing his praises, and agreeing that I’m a terrible person. You’re so changeable honestly.” a lady walking in the other direction side eyes him and edges slightly further away from him. He doesn’t let it bother him, he’s used to it.

“I know. But he’s still your brother, and he’s just given up on you entirely. And he’s Diego. We all know he’s a dick.” Ben elaborates. Klaus feels touched that Ben seems to have his back.

“He did the same thing to Vanya though, I guess I should have expected it,” is what Klaus says in response, to avoid dwelling too much on the fact that he’s now got no back up plans or safe house to crash. Ever. For the foreseeable future.

“Like I said, we know Diego’s a dick. His heart’s generally in the right place, but a dick.” That seems to be all Ben wants to say on the subject because he shuts up after that. Or maybe it’s because Klaus’s high is really starting to settle in, which always makes Ben less talkative. Dulling your powers to shut out the ghosts dulls your friendly (occasionally overbearing, jeez why does he always get at Klaus for drugs), ghostly brother too.

Maybe it’s good Diego’s gone, now he’s just got  _ one _ brother always on his case about sobering up and how he  _ needs to sort his life out _ . Ugh.

It’s not like he even  _ wanted _ to do rehab. Diego was the one who insisted. Klaus most definitely never agreed to  _ staying _ sober afterwards either. If Diego can’t accept him at his worst (apparently high according to his brothers) then he doesn’t deserve him at his best (apparently sober according to his brothers)- that’s how the saying goes right. You’d think he would’ve got the hint after Klaus tore up all the notes about rehab a few years ago. When he uh, borrowed,  <strike> stole </strike> a knife. Diego had loads (he could be accused of having knife fetish, had Klaus been a lesser man), Klaus hadn’t thought he’d miss it. It wasn’t even a  _ good _ knife for crime fighting, he thought he remembered Diego saying back at the academy. It was why he never took it on missions apparently.

He was at the club, and his buzz was reaching a very  _ nice _ level. Hopefully he’d be able to find someone willing to hook up.

* * *

That’s how it goes on for the next decade and half or so. Until daddy dearest kicks the bucket. It’s just him, and Ben, and an ever revolving door of hookups and one night stands. Not that Klaus has a door to revolve. The only door he could maybe claim as his own is the one at rehab, he’s been there enough that he thinks they should maybe invest in saving a bed aside just for him.

Frankly it’s awful. Sometimes he can’t get drugs- and that’s terrible. He’s homeless, and he has to sleep on the street many a time, thankfully he’s always got Ben as a look out but… it’s life on the  _ streets _ . Bad shit happens.

_ Bad _ shit happens.

Klaus doesn’t really like to think about it. Ben doesn’t press too much.

He makes it though. ‘Til Dad’s funeral he means. Which is great if only because he gets free food and to live in a massive house . And dad’s dead too, which is a plus.

He also gets to talk to Diego for the first time in years, and even if he’s kind of even  _ more _ of an arsehole than before -how is that  _ possible? _ \- he seems to have put most of the shit Klaus put him through behind him. He’s far less interested in helping him than he was though. It doesn’t hurt though- it doesn’t.

Then a wormhole opens in the yard, and a thirteen year old Five pops out. `This is it`, thinks Klaus. `I’m to be haunted by two dead brothers`- sometimes gallows humour is the only way. But the others see him too. Thank god,  _ the others see him too _ .

It all goes topsy turvy from there.

(also Klaus was right, score. Five totally time travelled.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoop done, and that brings it up to the show, more or less.  
Klaus POV is harder, I feel like I did it wrong, doesn't feel spacey enough.
> 
> I hope people liked it.


End file.
